My Woof Gang

Talkin' Trash on the Street

Dogs who lunge and bark at passing dogs on the street are usually doing so due to fear or anxiety.
Giving your dog a correction for her behavior tends to make it worse. A more effective approach is to change her feelings about other dogs from one of fear to one of happy anticipation!

Do Your Business!

Want your dog to eliminate on command? It's easy! Look for cues that she's preparing to go, like circling or sniffing.
Then use your command, like "Do your business." Softly praise her as she goes. You can even give her a treat afterwards
to sweeten the deal. If you do it enough times, she'll eventually "do the deed" on command!

Growing the Bonds in your WoofGang

Our pets have become members of the family, working, playing, eating, and sleeping at our sides. To ensure that we live together harmoniously, both human and canine family members must learn each other's needs and limits.
WoofGang can help.

Laura's education includes having graduated with honors from the Dog Trainers' Academy at the San Francisco SPCA and a training internship
with the Monks of New Skete.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Laura regularly attends seminars and conferences
in canine behavior, behavior modification and training. She has had the opportunity to learn and train with such great trainers as
Pam Reid, Jean Donaldson, Suzanne Clothier, Sue Sternberg, John Rogerson, Pat Miller, and Pia Silvani, to name just a few.
Because of her passion for an understanding of the behavior and ethology of more
than just the domestic dog, Laura attended a seminar comparing wolf and dog behavior at Wolf Park in Battle Ground, Indiana, and she worked with the dolphin trainers at the Dolphin Connection, a Florida facility touted for its marine mammal education, breeding and research techniques.
Laura has attended TTouch (Tellington Touch) training as well as studying Companion Animal Natural Health and Nutrition with Clayton College of Natural Health and even dabbled in a seminar in animal communication!

Laura has authored articles about dogs and dog behavior in such animal-centric magazines as
Your Pet Connection and
The Animal Companion, and on-line resources
Dog Service Network,
Cliffview Pilot,
and a magazine for young people called Kidz Buzz.
She has taught webinars in shelter training with the dog trainers' online educational resource Dog Trainers Connection
and published the book Bringing Up Puppy about the proper training and socialization of
a new puppy. A guest lecturer and "Ask the Trainer" speaker for shelters and rescue groups, doggie daycares, pet stores, and dog fancy groups throughout the North-east and Midwest,
she's been a guest on a call-in radio show called Freewheelin' on the Sirius Radio's Road Dog channel
and on the Today Show website.

Laura believes strongly in strengthening the bond between human and companion animal. For this reason,
she regards training as an exercise in building relationship rather than obedience. Such an approach
promises greater understanding and symbiosis within our family packs.

Her own pack includes rescued German Shepherd Tilly and an unruly dynamic duo of kittens, Django and Steffi. Just for fun, Laura and Tilly have achieved a novice tricks title together!

“Thanks, Laura, for all your and Tilly’s help for showing Dante that a walk can be fun again! I learn so much from you at each of our sessions and it has really helped me to better understand my puppy’s behavior and how to support him as he navigates our neighborhood!"Aimee Pergine, Westmont, NJ, Dante's human family

“Our little guy is more than a handful and very expressive. After a big change in the family and a move, we realized he was super insecure and anxious. We knew that we had to find a way to communicate more effectively -– and we were lucky enough to be blessed by the incredible, highly skilled and profoundly effective Laura from WoofGang. The most important thing she focuses on is building trust. Positive reinforcement and practice with fun exercises literally rewired our awesome dog’s brain and his behavior. He was hugely improved after the very first session and kept getting happier and better adjusted from there! If you want what’s best for the fuzzy love of your life, please do not consider any other form of treatment. Laura works with a kind and gentle hand and trains the humans just as much as the pets. We’re so grateful –- and Auggie is too!"Michael Cooper, Collingswood, NJ, Auggie's human family

“Words cannot express how thrilled I am to have had the opportunity to consult with Laura! I recently moved and my 12 1/2 year old cockapoo was not adjusting well. I was on the verge of being evicted. Even more upsetting to me was knowing my dog was suffering. Laura gave me some very easy tips that I was immediately able to put in place with Bella. So far, so good! It's been a very short period of time but I was able to exhaust Bella and make her content. I went out for a short period of time and there were no complaints from the neighbors! Small but mighty steps! If it wasn't for Laura, I don't know what I would have done. Thank you, Laura, for your great depth of knowledge, thoughtfulness, and resourcefulness in helping my best friend and me! I will always remember your kindness to me at such a difficult time!"Jen Donohue, Claymont, DE, Bella's human family

“So lucky to have found Laura to work with our rescue, Carson! Realizing we needed help with fear issues while walking and training to strengthen our bond with Carson, Laura provided the direction we needed to help him and create a better home environment. Laura's knowledge and explanations of how and why the methods work made a difference after the first meeting. Just seeing Carson respond to Laura's friendly and positive way she worked with him was great. The experience was educational and fun and I highly recommend Laura; she's great at what she does and can truly make a difference!"Denise & Brian Sparks, Laurel Springs, NJ, Carson's human family

“We want to thank you for how much you have done, so far, for Ollie. You suggested doggie day care, the ThunderShirt and Gentle Leader, and to get Ollie a “sibling”, Stanley. These things, along with the behavior exercises you have taught us, have made a world of difference. We may not have been able to live with him otherwise. It made a tremendous difference in his behavior and in our lives. And we are now able to get Stanley off to a great start, much earlier than Ollie. We will work with both as often as possible, and we will have you back to reinforce owner training, which will likely be the biggest issue! Thank you again for all the help!!"Sandy & Lloyd London, Bensalem, PA, Ollie's & Stanley's human family

“When we got our new very hyper and happy Schnauzer Lola May after several years without having any puppies at home, we were lost. That’s when we heard about Laura and called her to have what we thought it would be a “small training period”. It was not. Laura helped us a lot with house training, understanding Lola’s behavior and exercising tips. The entire experience with Laura was amazing. Laura calmed us down letting us know how to deal with Lola’s hyper attitude and showed us so many great ways to get control of all situations. Laura was always understanding and patient. We were so pleased to get to know her and learn so many things with her. We just moved back to our country and everybody is really impressed at how well-trained Lola is.
We (Lola, Paolo and myself) give Laura a thumb and paw up! Thank you Laura!!! Hope to see you here in Brazil very soon!!"Wellington Mendes & Paolo Romero, Sao Paulo, Brazil, Lola's human family

“I just wanted to write to you to say thank you SO MUCH for all your help with Bodie. You changed our lives!
I am pretty sure that at this point I could star in a Lifetime Movie-of-the-Week entitled "40 Year Old Woman Gets New Perspective on Life When She Learns How To Train The Puppy She Unexpectedly Inherited During Divorce". You'd have to take a starring role in this film!
Bodie is SO much happier and adjusted and, yes I know it is a cliche, but he has become my best friend and I am relieved that I know how to be his, thanks to you."Gillian Axtens, Weehawken, NJ, Bodie's human family

“Thank you for your time and patience in training Shea. You taught us important everyday exercises which I'm sure will make our lives more enjoyable. From the first day you came for Shea’s training it was very apparent how well you are with animals. Your training exercises were simple but effective and you took the time to explain each one as many times as needed. Shea looked forward to seeing you come for her training classes.”Gerry Bonventre, Jersey City, NJ, Shea's human family

“I found out about you at my dry cleaners of all places when we were talking about trainers. What a good day that was! I was so worried that my Sweetie Pie was too much for me to handle, but I just didn’t have the right tools or know how until we met you. Thank you so much for training me, since I was the one that really needed it. I love my girls so much and because of your help, they can fully and safely enjoy themselves now. Thank you for all of your emails, updates, tips, patience and thoughtfulness.”Michael Farino, Jersey City, NJ, Sweetie's and Roxy's human family

“Thank you so much, Laura! This has been such a great experience for Chris, Beau and me and we're so grateful for all of your advice and support over the past 3 months as we settled in with Beau and learned to adapt our lives. We couldn't be happier!”Andrea Joy Albrecht, Hoboken, NJ, Beau's human family

“Bernard and I are so happy with our "PuppyGirl" Miz Tasha and want everyone to know that we think you are the BOMB!!!!!!!!”Marion Hughes, Jersey City, NJ, Tasha's human family

“Thank you for everything. We've seen such massive improvements in Molly's behavior since we started working with you
and we couldn't be happier with our little 'mutt'! We'll be sure to keep you posted on her progress and
we'll definitely send along some pictures of her -- especially the wacky ones!”Melissa Arlio, Jersey City, NJ, Molly's human family

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! Both Flynn and I have really enjoyed working with you
over the past few months. I most certainly see a positive change in my relationship with Flynn...
we seem more "in synch", which is exactly what I was hoping would happen. He's a great dog,
and seems very eager to learn, which is certainly a perk.”Kelly Ward, Westwood, NJ, Flynn's human family

“I can't thank you enough. I told my husband our sessions were the best birthday gift!
He's excited about learning what you have taught me as well. The biggest change is inside...
I didn't realize it until I had to reform my ways. I was WAY lax.
Oscar's happier, and when we take him for "business", it's almost immediate.
Thanks again, and I can't wait for our next session!”Beth Kumar, Jersey City, NJ, Oscar's human family

“Blake is doing very well. He's gained 4 pounds [...] and is his usual playful self.
He's quickly becoming the puppy I knew he could be -- and we really credit you for a lot of that!”Lauren Leatherman, Jersey City, NJ, Blake's human family

“I cannot thank you enough and am so happy to say that the lesson
did so much! Not only did it help me help Kismet become a
better-behaved dog but it made our walks so much more fun. When he
started exhibiting his aggression during walks, I became tense and
nervous every time we went out. After the training, it was the
highlight of our days. Not only did we enjoy ourselves, but it made so
many people come to us to ask what we were doing and for them to
compliment him. I'm hoping some will call you with their own issues!”Jin Park, Hoboken, NJ, Kismet's human foster family

“I was very lucky somebody gave me your card and I decided to call you.
I was running out of options, and in front of the real dangerous situation my dog is creating,
I was ready to use the electrical collar and punish him for something that is not his fault,
or even sacrifice him if that didn't work. Instead of going back to the Middle East
with a collar, I go back with new ideas and new methods that make a lot of sense.
If only for that, my trip to New York was worthwhile.
Walad and I thank you from the other side of the world.”Marina Solis, Mascate, Oman, Walad's human family

“Thank you for the amazing session. You worked magic.
Mocha couldn’t wait to get into the crate this morning. It was very funny to watch.
I will definitely take all your advice and see how things go. Will keep you updated.
Thank you so very very much! It was the most amazing hour with Mocha during our 5 years.”Acme Wu, Manhattan, NY, Mocha's human family

“Laura, I love your sessions with Didge and me. It is such a pleasure to have you in our lives. We both really appreciate what you are doing for us! Thank you so much.”Michelle Ra'ttray, Manhattan, NY, Didge's human family

“The light came on!!!! Dakota had been a family member for 3 weeks, and I was
a little frustrated. Then we stumble onto Laura.
WOW, just an hour and a handout later and........ progress! It was
apparent within the first 15 minutes of the seminar that there was a
connection between Laura and the puppies at the social hour. This led me
to believe that there was hope and that I could do it too. Laura, your handout
instructions were so easy to follow that, in one training session, (with me
struggling to read the handout and guide Kota through the exercises), Kota
learned to "touch"!!! And I saw how much Dakota loved to learned!!!!
Thanks so much for that and for your support on further questions and
working through our issues. Your perspective and experience have made a
huge difference. It's so much fun to learn together, and we are being a team.
We couldn't have done it without you!!”Rhonda Gibson, Grand Haven, MI, Dakota's human family

“Laura has been a big help to Rosie and me when we encounter other dogs on our walks. Our walks are already much better. Laura had lots of patience (with me AND Rosie!!) and gave me good advice. Although I can't say a major miracle happened, we've had minor miracles and progress on every single walk. Thank you, Laura, for your expert advice! And Rosie thanks you, too!”Cheryl Wabeke, Grand Haven, MI, Rosie's human family

“What a terrific first session for us and a real relief to feel like we have a better handle on what to do with Spencer. You are just wonderful both with Spencer and with us, and for that we are most grateful.
p.s. Oh, and he slept thru the night till around 5:45am and then back to bed til about 7. Not bad. We are starting to sleep again and that is so thanks to you!!!”Chris and Gina Burns, Weehawken, NJ, Spencer's human family

“Thank you so much for all your great input! You are so fantastic at what you do!!!
Lucy says "woof"!”Kerry Ackerman, Hoboken, NJ, Lucy's human family

“Laura returned my initial email query promptly and set up an appointment for that week.
I told her that Rudy responds badly to the doorbell ringing, so Laura suggested she
phone upon arrival instead. I was able to unlock the door and Laura was able to enter.
Laura had instructed me to keep Rudy on leash and he barked like mad, but she continued
to give me instruction on what to do (and what NOT to do) and Rudy settled down to the
point of allowing Laura to play ball with him. Laura emails me after each visit and
meticulously explains each exercise she suggests. As Rudy needs a lot of exercise but
sometimes suffers with leg pain, Laura has introduced some "mental activity" games to
keep Rudy's mind active even if his body is mostly resting. She assesses Rudy's behaviors
and then crafts a positive and rewarding scenario which is easy for both the dog and the human to follow.
It's been a long road, but I feel like we have finally found our own "dog whisperer".”Ellen Scheurer, Hoboken, NJ, Rudy's human family

“Laura Garber is a truly amazing dog trainer.
She is an absolute wealth of knowledge regarding dog behavior and will explain
things to you about dogs that you didn't know existed. This woman is right on
top of her game! She can and will gladly give you reasons behind everything she
does with your animal and can date it back to dog history. My dog, Wes, knows
basic commands and is 100% house-broken because of Laura. She is extremely
humanistic and no-nonsense. She cares, and people know her in the community.
If you have issues with your pet, you must allow her to handle them one at a time.
She will do the job with impressive, humanistic methods that a lot of us didn't
know about growing up with animals. Go with more than four sessions –- it just
makes sense –- if you're looking to really help your dog.”Dr. Michael and Mrs. Piper Magera, Hoboken, NJ, Wes' human family

“I hired Laura to work with my dog after I rescued the dog from a shelter.
Laura's knowledge of animal behavior and temperament were evident from the moment
we began working together and her friendly, positive-reinforcement approach to
training made for a fun and educational experience all around. I highly recommend
Laura's services.”Valerie Boccadoro, Hoboken, NJ, Molly's human family

Call Laura at (646) 345-5116 or email her
if you'd like to set up a private consultation.

We'd love to hear from you! Feel free to send questions, comments, or suggestions for the site to
info@myWoofGang.com.